Decisive Legislative Battle on Choice Looms in California

The nationwide debate over parental choice in education may be
heading for a decisive battle in the California legislature next
year.

Adoption of a statewide choice plan in California, with its 4.6
million public-school students, would be by far the most significant
victory yet for proponents of allowing parents to select their
children's public schools. Five states--Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota,
Nebraska, and Ohio--currently have statewide "open enrollment"
programs.

The prospects for choice legislation in California appear to be
good. The state's Republican Governor, George Deukmejian, its
Democratic state superintendent, Bill Honig, and a number of business
and other interest groups have indicated support for choice
proposals.

But the factors that stymied passage of such measures in the last
session of the legislature will also be operating when lawmakers
reconvene in January. Chief among them is the California Teachers
Association, an affiliate of the National Education Association, which
is strongly opposed to any proposals that would allow students to
transfer between school districts.

In addition, concerns about the effects of choice on tight
education budgets are dampening enthusiasm for the idea. And, as
elsewhere around the country, many lawmakers are worried about whether
choice could undermine efforts to achieve educational equity and
desegregation.

Some school districts in the state already have choice plans in
effect--including Richmond, where the U.S. Education Department
concluded a series of regional hearings on the issue last week. (See
story on page 19.)

Teresa Hughes, the Democratic chairman of the Assembly's Education
Committee, summed up the potential intensity of next year's debate in
announcing a recent interim committee hearing on the issue: "Emotions
have flared over the feasibility of education choice in our public
schools. ... [T]his movement could become the major divisive education
issue of the 1990's."

Eight Bills on the Table

Eight choice bills are currently under consideration.

Assemblywoman Marian W. LaFollette, a Republican member of the
education panel, has proposed a bill that would allow open enrollment
both within and between districts, with the provision that schools
offer low-income students first choice at 25 percent of the
openings.

The measure would also give low-income students 21.5 cents per mile
to aid in transportation costs.

Mr. Honig has drafted a bill along with Assemblyman Charles W.
Bader, another GOP member of the education committee. It would require
all districts to adopt open-enrollment policies within district
boundaries, and would open up cross-district transfers except when they
would upset a desegregation plan.

"Mr. Honig favors choice as one of the many pressure points that can
be put on schools to bring about educational improvement," said William
Rukeyser, his spokesman.

The plan would set an annual limit on the number of students who
could leave a district and would require districts to admit students on
a impartial basis, such as through a lottery.

The California Business Roundtable is also expected to be a major
advocate of choice, as part of a wide-ranging package of educational
changes. The Roundtable has played a key role in passage of school
reforms in recent years.

Ballot Initiative Ahead?

Governor Deukmejian has generally endorsed parental choice, but not
a specific bill. At the Richmond hearing, Mr. Deukmejian remarked that
he favors transfers within districts more than across district lines
because of transportation problems.

Peter G. Mehas, the Governor's education-policy analyst, said that
Mr. Deukmejian will be most concerned next year with the fiscal
implications of choice proposals, due to an expected tight budget.

"The one thing that would demote the chances for success is the
price tag of these proposals," Mr. Mehas said.

A cta spokesman said last week the organization remains opposed to
choice plans, specifically those that encourage interdistrict
transfers. He added that the union supports some choice within a
district, through such programs as magnet schools.

Ms. LaFollette predicted that, if the legislature does not approve
some kind of choice option, the issue will be given to the voters in
the form of a ballot initiative--where proponents will be able to take
advantage of the substantial public support for the idea, as reflected
in public-opinion polls.

Mr. Rukeyser also said that as the issue has gained more national
prominence, support for choice has grown in the legislature. "There are
many more people in favor of choice now than a year ago," he said, "and
legislators respond to a change in the landscape as much as everyone
else does."

Ground Rules for Posting
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.